The Clown
by Hazelle More
Summary: How long had he hid every pain and emotion under a grinning mask? She finds the painful truth suffering under a binding curse, yet there's hardly anything she could do... Recursive fan poetry for The Jackson Legacy.


_**A/N:** I wouldn't say a lot since it would kill the mystery, yet this is the outcome of a certain scene that had haunted me for days and weeks after getting to know about it. Yup, the poem's really long and free verse, so sorry for all you rhyming-nerds. I really can't carry on with rhyming for such a long piece to save my life. D:_

Loads of thanks to Simon, a.k.a. Flamingo, a really great friend and an evil, evil troll, for bearing with my endless bugging and questions and drowning me with sneak peeks from his fanfic masterpiece; which inspired me for this 'little' poem and several other pieces of art. You're awesome, Mr. Flamingo! I seriously don't regret my extreme fangirling. :D And note to everyone else: you really should check it out!

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_**Disclaimer:** Percy Jackson and the Olympians and the Heroes of Olympus series belong to Rick Riordan; The Jackson Legacy and the related fiction belongs to Simon Layton. (I wish they belonged to me. D: XDDD) The poem co-belongs to me, because I say so! :D_

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_Enjoy and review! o3o  
_

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_**~The Clown~**  
_

_A single spotlight_  
_ A single clown_  
_ A cheery crowd_  
_ Drowning in mirth_  
_ As cords directed._  
_ You laughed and pranced_  
_ Skipped and joked_  
_ They all loved you_  
_ Loved you for the amusement._  
_ Grinning through that mask_  
_ You laughed with them_  
_ It was a cheerful scene,_  
_ Or so meant to be_  
_ But why did it feel so wrong?_  
_ The audience clapped and whistled_  
_ Begging for more. It was a great show._  
_ The puppeteers conceded. They waved their rods._  
_ Gave you the lines._  
_ The marionette juggled ._  
_ Everyone laughed. Stamped feet on ground._  
_ Spilled their drinks and choked in snorts._  
_ You were a favorite._  
_ Everything was perfect_  
_ The directors congratulated themselves._  
_ It went on for hours._  
_ Days. Weeks._  
_ Months._  
_ Years._  
_ You were tired. You were stumbling in your steps._  
_ You needed a rest._  
_ You tried to plead for a break. A timeout._  
_ But the crowd haven't had enough._  
_ "More!" they cried. "Encore! Encore!"_  
_ But you were just human._  
_ They adored their crazy clown_  
_ All theatre was alive._  
_ But you were worn out._  
_ The strings never yielded_  
_ Nor the playmakers._  
_ You had to go on._  
_ You owned the stage._  
_ The mask kept grinning._  
_ And the spotlight flashed bright._  
_ You were exhausted._  
_ One cord went up, and you waved to the crowds._  
_ All ten moved, and you cartwheeled._  
_ And jumped up again._  
_ And rolled in back flips._  
_ And spun in a clumsy pirouette._  
_ Everyone jeered._  
_ "En pointe!" one ordered._  
_ The puppeteers obliged._  
_ "Clumsy dragon!" another yelled._  
_ And you flew around._  
_ "Fire jugglers!" a man demanded._  
_ "More cartwheels!" a woman declared._  
_ The directors pulled a lever._  
_ Fiery gold rings lit up the stage._  
_ The cords dragged you into them._  
_ The fire burnt through you, leaving no mark._  
_ Everyone cheered and threw flowers._  
_ They ignited._  
_ "More! More!"_  
_ The mask loosened._  
_ It hung from one ear, still in that frozen grin._  
_ For the first time, I saw you._  
_ Your face was beaded with sweat. There was no life._  
_ A cord ignited and snapped. A hand fell to the side._  
_ And hung there limp and comatose._  
_ "MORE!" the crowd barked._  
_ You stumbled in the ground._  
_ They yelled. Threw empty cans._  
_ "The show must go on," a director glared._  
_ "Pull him up and switch the lasers on!"_  
_ The stage flooded in multicolor lights._  
_ Music blared from every side._  
_ The cords pulled you back into the rhythm._  
_ Everyone danced along, laughing and catcalling._  
_ Nobody saw the harassed pain._  
_ Nobody saw the lifeless feign._  
_ "Stop!" I cried._  
_ I couldn't move._  
_ A spell froze me in an invisible prison._  
_ But I saw all._  
_ "He's hurt! STOP IT!"_  
_ But no one heard._  
_ Nor cared._  
_ They were all engrossed in the show._  
_ It was torture._  
_ And you saw me, higher up on the steps._  
_ A shadow of recognition flickered._  
_ And hid under the agony._  
_ You couldn't even speak._  
_ Only the unforgiving cables held you upright._  
_ "Please…" I screamed, "No more!"_  
_ I tried to reach out. I wanted you away._  
_ Away from those cruel masters._  
_ Away from that blind audience._  
_ Away in safety where there was no pain._  
_ You were my friend._  
_ I tried to break the spell and push through the bounds_  
_ They wouldn't let go._  
_ The crowds laughed around._  
_ The directors grinned._  
_ You were the poltergeist._  
_ The clown._  
_ The actor._  
_ The puppet._  
_ The slave._  
_ "NO!" I wailed._  
_ I fell down sobbing._  
_ A gentle hand pulled me back._  
_ "Save him!" I pleaded._  
_ I couldn't leave you._  
_ "You've seen enough," you said. "Come with me."_  
_ What sorcery was it?_  
_ On the stage and on the steps…_  
_ You on the stage looked mournfully as you pulled me away._  
_ Away from the dungeon, from that cruel stage._  
_ Your mask had finally come off._  
_ "It was you..." I whispered._  
_ "They're torturing you."_  
_ You didn't reply._  
_ But you couldn't lie._  
_ Your eyes told it all._  
_ You held me quietly as I shivered in sobs,_  
_ Crying for you, your pain, your torment._  
_ You wouldn't say a word._  
_ Nor let me go,_  
_ Not for a second._  
_ You took me away from that accursed place._  
_ Kept me in your arms until I had no tears_  
_ Until all sobs had died._  
_ Until I fell asleep in worn agony._  
_ You never spoke._  
_ You didn't complain._  
_ Not even to me._  
_ How could you keep it all inside?_  
_ Hide it all under that mask, for years without end?_  
_ How much pain did you drown in jokes?_  
_ Were all those smiles a hidden grimace?_  
_ Were all those laughs a cry for help?_


End file.
